Paula Deen fans slam Food Network on social media

Paula Deen issued a friendly statement to the Food Network on Saturday, thanking the cooking channel for 11 "great years" of collaboration after network brass fired her in the wake of her recent racism scandal.

But some of Deen's most passionate fans weren't so conciliatory, bombarding the Food Network's Facebook page with angry messages about the network's decision to drop the 66-year-old Georgia native.

"You hypocritical sobs," Facebook user Dick Jackson wrote on the Food Network's post about a "summer salad showdown." "Everybody in the south over 60 used the n word at some time or the other in the past."

Racial slurs are not OK, but your judgment and your decision to not renew Paula's contract at the end of the month is a bad move. You will loose many viewers including me and anyone I can convince not to watch.

This will be my last post as I will be unfollowing Food Network. I have watched for years. Love Paula Deen and for all the good she has done you treat her like that. I bet everyone of you have things in your closet that you should reexamine. I hope Food Network channel goes down the drain. We support and love you Paula Deen you are an inspiration to all. Wherever you go we will follow you.

Deen's supporters have called on the cooking channel to take her back. A Facebook page called "We support Paula Deen" has more than 260,000 likes and a Change.org petition has more than 9,000 signatures.

"Paula Deen is a sweet southern lady that made a mistake 26 years ago," the petition reads. "She should not be punished for something that happened that long ago and which she has apologized for."

Other Facebook commenters, however, praised the Food Network's for taking a decisive stand against racism.

You absolutely did the right thing and I support your decision 100%. She is remorseful because she got caught and her half-hearted apology quelled only those who seem to marginalize her behavior! I respect your network now more than ever for taking swift action to distance yourself from Ms. Deen.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.